International Operations
From the early 60's through to 2012, International Operations was the United States' first line of defence against Super Powered Beings (SPBs). Due to considerable scandal that erupted when many of their classified files were made public, they have fallen out of favour with the government and have been more or less replaced with the upstart ARGUS in dealing with superhumans. However, thanks to powerful backers the organization is not entirely defunct and still serves a purpose conducting covert operations in the US and abroad using Black Razors as well as their pair of Gen-Active operatives Threshold and Bliss. While they are in many ways a shadow of their former self, they remain a noteworthy player in global superhuman affairs. Members Ivanabaiul.jpg| Ivana Baiul Director dachief.jpg| Dr. Niles Caulder mento.jpg| Steven Dayton bliss.jpg| Bliss threshold.jpg| Threshold Tech and Vehicles Tactical Response Vantage (TRV) Suits - The signature armor of IO's infamous Black Razors, TRV suits are powered armor that provides a significant array of beyond-human capabilities to those elite commandos. Based partially off of reverse-engineered Kheran technology, enhanced strength, speed, and durability are all part of the package, as well as built-in communications, sensors, and targeting (HUD) capabilities. The suits provide limited plasma discharge (energy blast) capabilities, as well, and have several stealth features built in, to include infrared, radar, and sound baffling. Despite their formidable capability, the standard TRV suit does not hamper the wearer's mobility in any way, allowing them to utilize their full agility and reflexes in conjunction with the enhanced abilities provided. Durability-wise they can withstand everything up to and including a .45 caliber round without being pierced, distributes shock evenly to allow wearers to withstand considerable blunt force trauma (even from individuals with superhuman strength, or falls of up to 10 stories) and have a very high resistance to energy-based attacks due to the materials used in their construction. While each member of a Black Razor team will carry equipment appropriate to their role, there are two major variants of the TRV in common use: The first is the Aerial Combat variant, which adds a powerful jet pack to the regular TRV armor, allowing the wearer to fly at subsonic speeds of up to 400 miles per hour, as well as hovering in place. Aerial TRV wearers are most often deployed as scouts and snipers, though in certain cases all the team members might be given Aerial TRV armor when pursuing a flying target. The second major variant is the Heavy Weapons variant, affectionately known as "The walking tank." These suits are more like exoskeletons that provide a greater degree of superhuman strength and durability, most often so they can carry and utilize a wide array of heavy weapons. While the suits are stronger than the standard TRV suits, they are not so strong and durable that they are likely to survive a protracted close fight with a skilled opponent with superhuman strength, especially as the suits are slower and more unwieldy than the standard TRV armor. The Heavy TRV cannot (yet) be made flight-capable. Weaponry - IO operatives have access to any conventional personal weapon known to man, often with modifications and customizations tailored to battling super-powered beings (particularly specialized ammunition). They also have a wide array of energy weapons, from "simple" laser rifles and pistols all the way up to shoulder-fired plasma cannons capable of vaporizing a main battle tank or laser gatling-guns that could shred that tank in a couple moments. Additionally, IO is more than capable of creating devices and weapons specifically tailored to exploit their targets' weaknesses, and with IO's considerable database of information on superhumans, their knowledge of said weaknesses tends to be disturbingly comprehensive (at least on Earth-24). Of course, the vast bulk of IO's armory is the province of the Black Razors, but sufficiently high-ranking operatives can access much of it with a simple request. Vehicles - In addition to a wide array of conventional vehicles (often discreetly armored variants of existing civilian vehicles), IO maintains a modest fleet of state-of-the-art, supersonic VTOL transports, most often used to deploy Black Razors to target areas. These transports are fully stealth capable, and can fly at speeds up to Mach 3.5. Most of these craft are kept on standby at the main IO Headquarters. General Technology - IO's technology level is generally a step or two above state-of-the-art for the standard military on Earth-24. They have heavy backing from several corporate backers, such as Dayton Industries and LexCorp, and have reverse-engineered both alien technology (primarily tidbits of Kheran technology) and technology employed by super-powered menaces (Most often of Gamorran make) to suit their own purposes. They possess advanced computer systems and communications capabilities, and have in the past run highly-developed genetic and cybernetic engineering programs capable of manufacturing low-to-mid-level super powered beings (though currently such programs are "on hold" in IO's diminished state). Still, the fruits of those labors might still be dug out of mothballs if the situation calls for it and someone in IO's chain of command is willing to go digging. The Really Nasty Stuff - IO has been a very dirty and rather corrupt organization from the start, with only a few good eggs like John Lynch keeping it from being a completely "black-hat" outfit for much of its' existence. This means that there are a whole lot of "black projects" that were kept off-the-books and tucked away for a rainy day, some of which could likely prove to be global-level threats if left unchecked (as Miles Craven almost became before his death). Ivana Baiul may not have a full accounting of these projects, but as the former director of Research and Development for IO she does have a good knowledge of many of them. Some she keeps buried for everyones' own good...others she may just be holding on to for a rainy day, though John Lynch has made a point of dismantling, destroying, or deactivating several of these covert projects when he can, especially while International Operations remains in a diminished capacity (and thus left vulnerable and less able to effectively respond to such attacks). Still, Killer Cyborg Zombies, genetically tailored nano-plagues, Gen-Factor bombs, and brain-dead bodies of immensely powerful superhumans are just a sampling of the kinds of things that could potentially come out of one of IO's "black vaults" if folks are extremely unlucky. History * 1963 - International Operations is formed as a largely autonomous branch of the CIA. This new organization is the brainchild of Colonel Miles Craven. * 1965 - Team One is formed under IO's supervision, and quickly disbanded after their first mission results in significant casualties (even if they successfully prevent a nuclear disaster). Slabside Prison is created by Colonel Craven for the purpose of incarcerating superhuman criminals. * 1967 - Team 7 is formed, and becomes IO (and America's) premiere black-ops unit. Miles Craven discovers the research of Dr. Simon Tsung and learns of the Gen-Factor. Miles Craven is promoted to Brigadier General. * 1968 - Team 7 is exposed to the Gen-Factor. After wildly variable results in terms of metahuman abilities, the team falls apart due to the psychological stress and mistrust of their leadership that the Gen-Factor exposure incites. John Lynch remains with International Operations, largely so he can help shield his former teammates from IO's dirtier dealings moving forward. * 1968 (Continued) - Nathaniel Adam volunteers for an experiment with an alien metal to avoid the death penalty handed down to him by his corrupt superior. The experiment appears to result in Adam's destruction, but in reality transforms him into an immensely powerful superhuman being and propels him into the future. * 1969 - A second attempt at the experiment with the alien metal again results in the disappearance of the test subject, Clifford Zmeck. With barely any of the alien metal remaining, the tests are deemed a failure and the project is mothballed. Miles Craven is again promoted, this time to Major General. * 1970 - Using tactics pioneered by Team 7 and taught by Michael Cray, the first Black Razors are trained and deployed. * 1972 - Ivana Baiul defects from the Soviet Union, and joins International Operations. Miles Craven is promoted to Lieutenant General. * 1974 thru 1981 - Despite fervent attempts, Miles Craven is unable to exert any control over the newly-formed Stormwatch organization. This leads to a bitter rivalry between Craven and the organization's first "Weatherman". * 1982 - Miles Craven steps down from IO to become the Intelligence Czar for the US Government. John Lynch becomes Craven's replacement as Executive Cirector of IO. Amanda Waller becomes Deputy Director. Ivana Baiul becomes chief of Research and Development. In practice, Craven continues to exert immense influence over the organization despite Lynch and Waller's attempts to steer it towards a "cleaner" path. * 1984 - International Operations Headquarters is completed in Washington, DC. Doctor Niles Caulder becomes a consultant for IO. * 1985 - 1991 - IO continues to operate behind-the-scenes, letting the public success of the Stormwatch program divert attention away from their own operations. Black Razors skirmish several times with Jacob Marlowe's WildCATs over the span of these years. * 1992 - Colonel Steve Trevor re-joins IO at Lynch and Waller's request. * 1995 - Ivana Baiul, operating at Miles Craven's request, begins work on Project Genesis. The Doom Patrol is formed under IO's auspices, though the connection between the two groups is kept secret to all but a few. * 1996-2003 - Despite the relative success of the Doom Patrol, International Operations struggles to keep up with the rapid emergence of a multitude of super-powered beings. Ivana Baiul's Project Genesis begins to seek out the children of Team 7 members. Nicole Callahan and her older brother Matthew Callahan are among the first of those children to be taken by the specialized Black Razors known as "Keepers." * 2004 - Nathaniel Adam reappears after many years, and spoiling for some revenge on Miles Craven. Craven enacts his long-held plans to turn himself into an immortal superbeing. He transforms himself into an immensely powerful super-powered monster, though the process is premature, resulting in a degree of physical and mental instability. Craven is defeated by the combined efforts of Nathaniel Adam, Superman, John Lynch, Steve Trevor, and Laurel Lance. Lynch is left comatose by the events, and with the help of mysterious backers, Ivana Baiul is promoted to director of International Operations, leapfrogging over Amanda Waller. * 2007 - Several members of the Doom Patrol are killed and the team is disbanded. A botched attempt by the Black Razors to apprehend the newly-emerged "Teen Lantern" results in considerable public scandal when an innocent bystander is killed. This, coupled with the mountain of documentation and evidence that the Justice League presents to the US Government, leads to International Operations falling out of favor. While much of the information remains classified, enough leaks out to the public that the organization's name is considerably sullied. They are rapidly replaced by ARGUS as the primary organization for dealing with super-powered beings, and the JLA in particular. * 2009 - After nearly two years of disgrace and being nearly-dismantled by reduced funding and lack of political clout, IO is saved from completely disbanding by Niles Caulder and Stephen Dayton. Caulder allows Ivana Baiul to remain as director while he takes the Deputy Director position. * 2010 - Ivana Baiul re-activates Project Genesis, and begins to assemble more Gen-Active children of Team 7 members. * 2011 - After John Lynch frees several of their "acquired" children to form Gen-13, Ivana Baiul activates the remaining Gen-Active children as DV8. Led (at least nominally) by Threshold the team is unstable and massively dysfunctional, but somehow manages to be marginally effective despite that. * 2012 - During The Merge DV8 and the Black Razors find themselves battling against "threats" from another reality entirely. Several Black Razor teams are killed when they are sent to try to steal technology from Earth-24800 locations such as Latveria and Wakanda. * 2013 - With IO severely weakened by the events of The Merge, Ivana Baiul is forced to give up DV8 when John Lynch and Laurel Lance give them the offer of freeing them. In return for the teens' freedom, Lynch hands over all the information he had on IO's operations, which he had threatened to send to go public with if Baiul did not meet his demands. Matthew and Nicole Callahan choose to remain with International Operations of their own free will. The remainder of DV8 becomes part of Gen-13, making for a...most uneasy team. * 2014 - IO's complement of Black Razors is finally replenished back to full strength after their heavy losses during the Merge. Category:International Operations